Last week (before I went into labor!) I spent the morning with some fellow OC bloggers at our local Albertson’s gleaning wisdom on everything from centerpieces and DIY gift ideas to appetizers and hot chocolate.  Nutritionist Heidi Diller showed us how quick and easy entertaining can be.  And at this point in my life, those are two words I NEED to hear.

I’m not one to pay a lot of attention to things like centerpieces and I’d much prefer to purchase them than attempt to make them. Surprisingly, you can put together something lovely by simply floating a tea-light candle on a bed of fresh cranberries and a touch of greenery.   You can definitely get more elaborate (and more complicated) but I like to keep things simple!  There’s always store-bought centerpieces…but that’s no fun!

Stations were set up around the store so Heidi could demonstrate several different holiday courses.  All of the ingredients she used were products available at Albertson’s and we went home with every single recipe she used.  My favorite food recipe was the Pumpkin Hummus.  It is so easy to make and takes minutes to prepare.  Hummus and pita are one of my favorite healthy snacks and I think it would be neat to serve up a hummus and pita chip platter with several varieties of chips and hummus.

Pumpkin Hummus

1 15-ounce can of pumpkin

2 tablespoons tahini

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine ingredients until smooth and creamy. If hummus is too thick, you can add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency.  Spoon into serving bowl, and sprinkle with desired topping like cinnamon, red pepper, or more parsley.

One of the most unique ideas presented was a hot chocolate “station.”  Heidi prepared hot chocolate in a crockpot (good idea for keeping it warm!) and then set up a variety of toppings including peppermint to decorate the rims of the cups, various chocolates, whipped cream, and more.  I could see doing a “kid’s version” of this as well.

On many nights when my husband and I have not wanted to cook, we’ve purchased a rotisserie chicken and had it with rice or vegetables.  Heidi gave us a new take on the dish by including recipes for Barbeque Chicken Pizza, Soup, and Lettuce Wraps…all using a freshly-prepared rotisserie chicken.

I love to bake, but for many of us there simply isn’t time.  Albertson’s sells freshly-prepared pound cakes that you can split to add a banana filling and “frost” with whipped cream.  A simple pound cake has now become a gourmet Banana Cake.

My favorite station from the event was the “gift” table.  Heidi showed us how to make a Peppermint Scrub that smells and feels good enough to eat.  You can use any jar or tin but Heidi used a Snowman-themed tin for the event.

Peppermint Scrub

An empty jar with a lid

1 cup granulated white sugar

6 candy canes/peppermint candy (approx ¼ cup), finely crushed into a powder

1/2 cup olive oil

6 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)

Pour the granulated white sugar and crushed peppermint into the jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake it to mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients into sugar mix. Put the lid on the jar and shake it to mix thoroughly until the ingredients are well blended. Label the jar as desired.

While I would love to spend a lot of time and energy preparing a gourmet meal for my family, it’s not practical or feasible this year.  I appreciated hearing about how to save on time without compromising taste or appearance.